The subject matter disclosed herein relates to smart meters, and in particular, generating updated table definition language files for the smart meters.
Smart meters are electrical utility meters that may be able to record consumption of electric energy over intervals of time and communicate the recorded information back to the utility providing the electricity. The smart meters may include advanced functionality including the ability to understand when power was consumed, introduce advanced power pricing schemes based upon an amount of usage at specific times, etc. Further, the smart meters may provide energy consumers bill estimates, may help to manage use, and/or help reduce energy costs. Over the operational life of a smart meter, smart meter manufacturers may desire to make a number of modifications to the underlying software of the smart meter. For example, over time, a manufacturer may desire to modify the functionality of the smart meter, or may desire to add functionality to the smart meter. Such modification or addition to the functionality of the smart meter may involve creating new definition files (e.g., table definition languages) for the smart meter. The table definition language files (TDLs) enable applications to read data being communicated from the smart meters. For example, the table definition language files act as an interpreter of data communicated between the smart meter to a variety of applications. Examples of applications that may require such table definition language files include systems operating under the IEC 61968 standard and/or meter reading and programming applications that utilized the Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI). There are numerous meter types, each meter requiring its own TDL. Further, as modifications are made to the meters (e.g., firmware modifications), each meter may require additional TDLs reflecting the modifications made to the smart meter. Thus, the number of TDLs may be quite substantial. In many cases, creating these new definition files involves completely rewriting the definition files, which can be a very time consuming and costly process.